The correlation between serum albumin and diabetic retinopathy among people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: NHANES 2011-2020

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 16;17(6):e0270019. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270019. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this research aimed to investigate the correlation involving serum albumin with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: From 2011 to 2020, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) surveyed 45462 participants. We used the relevant data to conduct descriptive statistics, linear regression, and Logistic regression analysis.

Results: After adjusting for age, sex, and race, as well as all other variables, serum albumin was significantly negatively related to DR (P<0.001). Furthermore, after controlling for confounding factors, the third quartile (Q3) and the fourth quartile (Q4) had quite a negative significant relationship with the incidence of DR (P<0.01). The second quartile had a significant positive correlation with DR, whereas the observed negative correlations were not statistically meaningful (P>0.05).

Conclusion: Albumin levels in the serum have a quantitatively significant negative correlation with DR. Serum albumin levels in the blood can be used as a reference point for protracted follow-up of people with T2DM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2*
  • Diabetic Retinopathy* / diagnosis
  • Humans
  • Nutrition Surveys
  • Risk Factors
  • Serum Albumin

Substances

  • Serum Albumin

Grants and funding

Shu-Fang Chu was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant numbers.82104759). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. De-Liang Liu was supported by Science and Technology Fund Project of Health and Family Planning Commission of Guizhou Province (grant numbers.gzwjkj2018-1-091). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.